


Never Say Never Again

by fen-ha-fuck-you (abldav)



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Light Angst, Minor Violence, Reunions, not in that order
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-04
Updated: 2017-06-04
Packaged: 2018-11-09 02:13:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11094747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abldav/pseuds/fen-ha-fuck-you
Summary: "They could do it. They were a year and two weeks late, but they could do it. They could return to the ground."A.K.A. My take on the reunion, if you haven't gotten tired of that already.





	Never Say Never Again

**Author's Note:**

> Title from Diminuendo by Lawless and Britt Warner
> 
> As always, a huge thank you to [Annie](http://clarkescrusade.tumblr.com) for betaing this even though I sent it to her at like 4 am, you're my [hero](http://archiveofourown.org/users/alindy/pseuds/clarkescrusade).

They could do it. They were a year and two weeks late, but they could do it. They could return to the ground. 

Once most of the radiation had cleared from the atmosphere, it was obvious they couldn’t crash land the rocket into water like Raven had originally planned. It would never survive the impact. She started renovating it to run on solar power immediately. It had taken up until yesterday to store the juice needed in order to land on solid ground, and even that was a huge “maybe” scenario. 

Monty and Raven rattled on about all the ways they could potentially die.  _ We burn up on re-entry. We suffocate from an oxygen malfunction. We crash in a fiery explosion. Hell, the blunt force trauma alone… _

Still. Bellamy didn’t care. He just wanted to go home. He just wanted to talk to his sister—if she was still alive.

Communications had been down for 2,206 days. If  _ anyone _ survived, the Ark couldn’t hear them. 

Raven was pointing them as close to Science Island as they could get. They were going to gather as many supplies from Becca’s mansion as they could—if it was even still standing—then take the boat back across the water and find the rover. It was debatable as to whether it would still work, but Raven was hopeful. They’d use the rover’s radio to try and contact the bunker. Then, they’d head to Polis. That was the plan.

At least, that was  _ their _ plan. 

The people who lived had been waiting, and they could wait a few days more. The dead deserved his attention now.

Bellamy wasn’t sure how much radiation it took to make a body disappear completely. He wasn’t sure there would be anything left for him to find. Monty or Raven could probably tell him, but he didn’t ask. It didn’t matter. He was going to look anyway. 

If there  _ was _ anything left of her, he’d take her to the dropship. Bury her next to Wells, where he knew she’d want to be. It didn’t really matter if he found her or not, either. He’d make her a marker, carve her name into the side of the dropship… anything, regardless. It was the least he could do for the woman he left behind. The woman who saved their lives. The woman he… 

It was the least he could do.

* * *

 

His second trip to the ground went a lot smoother than the first. Then again, Raven Reyes wasn’t in charge of preparing the  _ original _ dropship, so it shouldn’t have come as a huge surprise. 

Echo rushed to the airlock once they landed. Even after six years, space hadn’t grown on her. She missed the changing of the seasons and the bite of a cold wind on her skin. 

_ Stop _ , a voice in Bellamy’s head whispered.  _ The air could be toxic _ . 

“If the air’s toxic, we’re all dead anyway,” he muttered to himself. Monty and Murphy shared a look he didn’t see. 

The door opened, and the smell of pollen and freshly bloomed flowers filled the inside of the rocket. Harper sneezed. 

“I didn’t expect it to smell the same,” Echo announced, her eyes shimmering in a way she would deny if anyone pointed it out. 

Everyone started to pile out and get their bearings. Raven moved to step out and paused when Bellamy remained seated, not even bothering to remove his seatbelt. He stared straight ahead, his jaw clenched tight.

Raven put a hand on his shoulder. “I know.”

He didn’t reply.

“She wouldn’t want you to sit in here forever.”

“I need a minute, Raven. I just need another minute where the last step I took on Earth was one where she was still here.” 

She closed her eyes and nodded. When she opened them again, they were wet with unshed tears. She glanced outside.

“Well, my aim is better than we thought. I can see Becca’s mansion.” She looked back at him. “We’ll be there. Whenever you’re ready.”

“I’m going to the tower.”

“Bellamy…”

“I need to do this, Raven.” He finally looked at her, his eyes determined. “I left her behind. I need to go back for her.”

Raven sighed, then nodded. “We’ll be waiting.”

* * *

 

“Well, the boat’s still here,” Murphy said. “So we’re not  _ totally _ screwed.”

“In good condition, too,” Emori added. “Can’t say I’m not surprised.”

“Am I missing something?” Monty asked. “Like, some imminent threat?”

“We’re back on Earth, dude,” Murphy replied. “If you’re not expecting the unexpected you’re doing something wrong.”

“Is anyone else a little… shocked that the mansion is still here?” Harper added. 

“Let’s just get in, get what we need, and go,” Echo said tersely. 

“How fast we leave is up to Bellamy,” Raven said. 

Everyone went quiet at that, remembering the reason they were able to survive this long in the first place. They stepped inside Becca’s kitchen and let out shaky breaths as the eerie, hollow feeling that only accompanies a liminal space washed over them.

“I’m worried about him,” Monty said after a moment. “In space, he could compartmentalize, but here…?” He shook his head. “He never forgave himself. And here, Clarke is everywhere.”

A shuffling sound came from the other room and they all froze in place, looking at each other uncertainly. None of them had taken any weapons when they went to space, and everything here was packed away. 

“Hello?” Harper called out. The rest of them shot her withering looks. She shrugged. 

Footsteps crept closer to the hallway. Murphy stepped in front of Emori, and Echo braced herself for a fight.

A collective gasp went out as they saw the woman who turned the corner. She had an arm outstretched in front of a small girl, and her eyes were wide.

“...Clarke?” Raven said, disbelieving. 

“See?” Murphy said, turning to look at Monty. “Earth.”

“ _ Chon dison bilaik, nomon? Dison ste kru kom skai? _ ” the little girl asked.

“ _ Sha,  _ Madi,” Clarke replied, tears forming in her eyes. “ _ Emo laik ai lukot. _ ”

She stepped closer to them, hesitantly, as if they’d disappear if she moved too fast.

Raven made up the distance and pulled her into a tight hug. “We thought you were dead.”

“I wasn’t sure if you made it.” 

Clarke pulled away, hugging each of her friends with the same intensity. Echo’s eyes went wide when Clarke pulled her in, too, but she quickly relaxed and whispered, “Thank you,” in her ear. Clarke nodded, smiling at her. 

Clarke swept her gaze over them again. Her face dropped a little at what she found, but before anyone could say anything else, she laid a gentle hand on the little girl’s shoulder. 

“Everyone, this is Madi,” she smiled minutely. “Madi, this is Raven, Murphy, Emori, Monty, Harper, and Echo.” She gestured to each of her friends in turn. Emori waved.

Madi scrunched her eyebrows as she examined each of them intently. Nodding slightly, as if she’d made up her mind on something. “Hello,” she said plainly before turning back to Clarke. “ _ Weron dison laik yun niron? _ ”

Clarke opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Echo and Emori shared a look. Madi, thinking better of herself, turned to the group of newcomers. 

“Where is Bellamy?”

Clarke looked at her friends, an even mixture of dread and hope flitting across her features. Raven smiled. 

“He’s—”

A loud motorized sound came from outside.

“ _ Shit _ ,” Clarke whisper-yelled, reaching behind the wall to retrieve her rifle. She carefully moved the curtain on a window to get a look outside and cursed again. “There are guns in the bedroom.  _ Get them _ .” She directed the order at no one in particular, but they all moved at once. 

They emerged a minute later, everyone holding a gun save Echo, who was brandishing a poker from the fireplace. She never was one for guns. 

“Who are they?” Monty asked. 

“Mining colony,” Clarke replied, scoping out the arrivals. “I count six.”

“Me too,” Murphy said.

“They came down a week ago. Split up into two groups fairly quickly. One is friendly enough. The other…,” Clarke trailed off. “Let’s just say it’s more than a little obvious why that group was on a _prison_ transport.”

“Which group are they?” Emori asked, gesturing to the men outside.

“Can’t tell. They must’ve seen the rocket come down.  _ Shit _ .”

“How’d they even get over here?” Harper asked.

Clarke sighed. “It looks like some kind of… inflatable, motorized raft. I hadn’t thought of that.  _ Dammit _ . Wait…”

“What?” Echo asked.

“They’re…,” Clarke looked up from her scope. “They’re headed towards where the tower used to be.” She swiveled to look at her friends. “Why would they be headed into the woods when there’s a perfectly intact  _ house _ right here?”

They all looked at each other. 

“Bellamy was headed to the tower. He must’ve left tracks or something,” Raven replied.

“ _ What? _ ” Clarke exclaimed. Without waiting for a response, she ran out the door, rifle in hand.

* * *

 

Bellamy made it to the tower. Or… what was left of the tower, anyway. It had broken in half, one piece laying on its side a couple yards from the rusted base. 

He knelt to the ground, gently picking up the shattered remains of a tablet and keyboard. He couldn’t tell if it had been moved by the radiation or… thrown from higher up. Had she had to climb? Did she fall? Maybe she had and she’d been dead before the death wave hit. Maybe she’d gone quickly. Without pain. 

He stood and froze when he heard several pairs of footsteps behind him.

“Well, well, well, look what we have here,” a cocky, slimy voice called out. “Looks like we weren’t the only ones waiting up in space all this time, now were we?”

Bellamy turned to the voice, noting the filthy prison uniforms and makeshift weapons the bald men in front of him had. He got the feeling this wasn’t a situation he could talk himself out of.

“See, the problem is,” the same prisoner continued, “we’ve been dreaming of this planet our whole lives and… well… we’re not great with  _ sharing _ . So, I’m thinking, you get down on your knees now, nice and easy, and we kill ya quickly. If you don’t…” He shrugged. “Well, then we’ll kill ya slow.”

Bellamy didn’t respond. He looked down at the tablet in his hand and brushed a thumb along the cracked screen. 

_ The only way to make sure we survive is if you use this too _ . 

“Can I show you something?” Bellamy said, lightly shaking the broken tech in his hand.

“I… I guess?” the prisoner responded, slowly moving towards him. 

“You see this?” Bellamy said, pointing to the screen.

“I… yeah?” he responded, leaning closer.

As soon as he was close enough, Bellamy jammed the tablet into his nose, stunning him. Bellamy twisted his arm, forcing the shiv from his grasp and knocking him to his knees. He retrieved the weapon from the ground and stabbed him in the neck, quickly focusing his attention on the remaining five who had since surrounded him.

Bellamy sighed, turning in place and taking inventory of his opponents, just like Lincoln had taught him a lifetime ago. “Come on, then.”

The man in front of him yelled a battle cry, as if that was subtle, and lunged for him. Bellamy ducked under his swing and punched him in the jaw. The prisoner tried again, this time aiming his knife straight at Bellamy’s face. He caught his wrist with both hands, struggling to keep the glinting edge away. 

A gunshot rang out behind him, and his attacker dropped dead, a bullet centered right between his eyes. The remaining four prisoners looked around frantically. 

A voice called out, “Duck!” from the trees, and Bellamy dropped to the ground. More gunshots rang out, this time from every direction. Bodies hit the ground around him, and Bellamy glanced up to see Raven and Monty approaching, rifles slung over their shoulders. 

Raven held out a hand to help him up, and he took it gratefully. 

“Where the hell did you get those?” Bellamy asked, brows furrowed. 

Before he got his answer, a small child threw her arms around his waist.

“Uh… hi,” he said, instinctively returning the gesture.

“Hello, Bellamy!” she replied.

He looked up at Raven and the rest of his friends who had silently gathered around him, shaking his head in confusion. 

Raven smiled back at him before her eyes trailed somewhere over his shoulder.

Bellamy turned and froze. 

She was there. Standing just outside of the treeline, some fifty feet away. She was there, standing just as still as he was. 

He couldn’t move, he couldn’t speak, he couldn’t do much of anything. He just stared at the woman he thought he had lost forever. 

Bellamy never really understood Newton’s first law. It was probably stupid since he grew up in space, but he was always more inclined to history and literature than science. It just never really made sense to him, as someone capable of walking, that an object at rest would stay at rest unless acted upon by an outside force. Seeing her again,  _ alive _ … it all made sense. He had never been so thrilled to feel like an object.

Small hands pushed at his back, forcing him to take a step forward, and that was all the momentum he needed. 

He pushed all of his regret, all of his guilt, all of his  _ joy _ into his legs at that moment. Bellamy had never run faster. 

They met in the middle. She jumped into him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He let out a disbelieving laugh, holding onto her like a lifeline.

It had been six years, but holding her again… it felt like no time had passed at all. 

He breathed her in. She smelled like seawater, and grass, and…

“Clarke.”

“Bellamy.”

He didn’t realize he was crying until they pulled back to look at each other and he noticed she was, too. 

He cupped her face with his hand and absently wiped a tear from her cheek. She leaned into his touch. 

“I’m sorry,” he choked out. 

“Don’t be,” she replied, brushing his hair out of his eyes. “You’re alive.”

“ _ You’re _ alive,” he breathed. 

She nodded, tracing his freckles with her fingertips. “I wasn’t sure if you’d made it onto the Ark… but I didn’t give up.”

He breathed out heavily again, threading her newly dyed hair between his fingers. “You still had hope? After six years?”

The corner of her lip quirked up. “I was still breathing,” she whispered. 

He stepped closer so their foreheads gently touched.

He didn’t know how to express it. How to express the fondness, gratitude…  _ love _ that he felt for the woman standing in front of him. He just said one word.

“ _ Clarke _ .”

She looked him in the eyes, her own full of the comprehension that only comes from feeling the exact same thing.

“ _ Bellamy _ .”

So he did the only thing that felt right, the only thing that had  _ ever _ felt right—the thing that he had regretted  _ not _ doing for more than six years. 

He pressed his lips to hers. 

She responded immediately, her fingers tangling in his thick, curly hair, and pressed herself closer. His hand wrapped around her waist, pulling her to him.

It was salty and wet and full of longing, their shared tears dampening their lips. They pushed everything they wanted to say, everything they never had the chance to, into that kiss, trying to make up for six years they would never get back. 

They didn’t notice when their friends let out a cheer, or when Murphy started grumbling about the two of them “getting a room.”

They only broke apart when Madi tapped Clarke on the shoulder. 

She smiled down at her and looked back up to Bellamy with nothing but love in her eyes. 

“Bellamy, this is my adoptive daughter, Madi. She’s heard a lot about you.”

“We met,” he smiled back. “I can’t wait to hear all about you, too, Madi.”

Madi grinned and ran back to the others, boasting about how she got through to them when they couldn’t.

“You’re a mom,” Bellamy said gently, nuzzling his nose against her.

“Yeah,” Clarke replied, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “She already thinks of you as a dad. I hope you don’t mind.”

Bellamy smiled. “I don’t mind at all.”

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and criticism is more than welcomed :)
> 
> Come say hi on [tumblr](http://fen-ha-fuck-you.tumblr.com).
> 
> Edit: I realized I forgot to put the translations in the notes, like an idiot.
> 
> "Chon dison biliak, nomon? Dison ste kru kom skai?" = Who are they, mother? Are they the people from the sky?
> 
> "Sha, Madi. Emo laik ai lukot." = Yes, Madi. These are my friends.
> 
> "Weron dison laik yun niron?" = Where is your loved one/lover?


End file.
